Our plans went a little bit off course with this trip.
Rain was forecast for the Thursday and strong winds for the Sunday. What to do.....
We left on Thursday as planned, getting out of the marina around 8:30am.
Mrs. Jeepers and i on our boat and our neighbours on their boat and the return would be one day early.
We had a pretty nice run up to the top of the Great Sandy Straight with not a lot of boating traffic along the way.
We stopped at the bottom of Big Woody Island for morning tea and whilst there, i said to Mrs. Jeepers, seeing its called Big Woody....... This was met with a firm NO..... we have company she said..... bugger
We were off again and as we rounded the top of BWI (We needed to top up the fuel in Urangan Harbour), we have two choices, take the shortcut through the shoaling area or take the long way from waypoint to waypoint.
Seeing we have a draught of 3 feet and not wanting to run aground, we went the long way while the others took the shortcut.
Just a minor top up of 165 litres
had us ready to go again. A bloke beside us at the fuel berth was up to 1,200 litres and still going when we left.
Steve led me out through the shortcut, as there was plenty of water nad no shoaling, so that saved some time.
We had planned on going well up into Platypus Bay, but the weather reports forced us to use plan B, anchored out of the direct wind and with an escape route should it turn bad.
We found a nice spot along Hawk Nest Beach and this was our new home for a while.
If you need the settings......
The water was a lovely colour, but the ol box brownie isn't doing it justice...... sorry about that.
Our neighbours shot off to try for some dinner whilst the ol girl and i explored a few areas.
It turned out, it was drinks and steaks on the BBQ for tonight, as the fish refused to play nice.
As the sun set over the water.......
The moon came alive over the top of Fraser Island which created a nice setting.
We copped a little bit of rock and roll during the night, but nothing too bad.
One of the other boats up here headed off today...... Not sure what he was about to do on the flybridge but.
The fishing was attacked again the next day and shall we say, it wasn't a roaring success and leave it at that.
Steve got breath tested at one point and the cop said, no one was catching anything.
It appeared we weren't the only ones who had pissed off on holidays.
Based on the weather forecast, we moved down a little bit to Mooan Point, to tuck in closer to the beach.
Once again, a bit of exploring was in order.
There is a Barge landing point here on Fraser, but stuffed if i saw any barges running....
Through Mrs. Jeepers sunnies.
We took a stroll to see what was what and found this creek......
each time our neighbours wanted to board us, he would hit the horn and the Jeepers Water taxi Service would swing into action.
Friday night, you could see the strorm brewing over the main land, but it would appear it would not hit us hard.
I had the storm covers up etc a bit early and it got really stuffy on board quickly, so i fired the gennie and put the air conditioning on.
The others had had done the same, except they didn't have air conditioning. she said to him, why would puss guts have the gennie running?
Geez, he was dirty when he found out too.
We got the storm and plenty of rain, lightning and stuff me sideways, the boat was a rockin and rollin better the Elvis.
We were trying to watch tv, but it was awkward with the rolling.
Mrs Jeepers went o bed early and i stayed awake to make sure we didn't drag the anchor. It was in solid with 25 metres of chain, so i was pretty sure it was good, but you never know huh.
With the forecast of winds to get up after lunch, we made an early leave a must.
Steve had topped up the day before and i had plenty of fuel still, as being the Mothership, as he called us, we had done limited K's and remained anchored.
The trip was an easy run and on Steve's request, we came home a tad slower on 22 knots.
(when we went up, i sat on 28 to 29 knots, but his boat was not in its happy zone at that)
Passing the Sheridan Flats, i thought....hmmm, we should of come down here late yesterday, as a fair few called it home from the storm.
Oh well, none us got seasick or threw up, so all was good.
Back into port, we were greeted by some other marina-ites only to be told, there was a boat on its way in after being hit by lightning during the storm.
I'm told..... because i have an all steel chain anchor line, a lightning hit will travel the chain into the water and earth itself.
I have no idea if this right or wrong and i'm not keen to test it either.
We've still got our sea legs too, trying to take a whizz and i'm finding myself swaying from side to side and stuff like that.
It was a great few days, exploring a portion of Fraser and its surrounding waterways with great friends.
Oh, and look, i know this should be in Trip Reports etc, but not being the brightest, its ended up here, so don't yell at me,
Thats the wifes job.
I've got an OK pic of Mrs, Jeepers in her swimmers too, but i'm told not to post it...... we'll see.
Just a general shot of the Fraser Beach
Our friends 6.2 metre Cruise Craft.
OK people, as Porky pig would say, th th th tha thats all folks....